Traditions Buckstalker - Manual (Page 10)

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handled easier with gloves when in hunting situations. Thirdly, they are 10 times
hotter than a #11 percussion cap which gives a more reliable ignition. Your new
break-open rifle uses a 209 primer. When capping your muzzleloader please follow
these instructions: Only cap or prime your muzzleloader after you have loaded the
rifle and you are ready to shoot.
1. Make sure that the manual safety on your
muzzleloader is in the “safe” position.
2. Point the muzzleloader in a safe direction.
3. keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe
direction, open the action to expose
the breech area. using a 209 capper or
your fingers, press the primer into the
nipple opening in the breech plug. Close
the gun. Make sure that the action is
completely closed. When you are
ready to fire the muzzleloader, place the
safety in the “fire” position and cock
the hammer.
4. Your muzzleloader is now ready to fire.
xIII. DECAPPING YOUR MUZZLELOADER
AFTER FIRING:
1. Press action release button and open barrel to expose primer.
2. using a de-priming tool or finger, remove the spent primer.
If your muzzleloader fails to fire:
Anyone involved with muzzleloading firearms may experience a hangfire or misfire.
The following are a few simple procedures that will help you to effectively manage
such occurrences.
xIV. HANGFIRES & MISFIRES
Hangfire:
A hangfire is a delayed ignition. The primer fires when the trigger is pulled and
the main charge fires a brief moment later. There are many reasons that hangfires
occur. If you are experiencing hangfires, there are possible causes that you need to
evaluate. verify the following:
1. verify that the primer is the correct size and properly fitted onto the nipple.
2. Inspect that the ignition channel is clear of obstructions.
3. verify that the proper propellant is being used and that it is the proper
granulation and is free from moisture, contamination and oils.
4. Check the condition of the primers and propellant powder. For hunting
situations, it is a wise practice to use fresh primers and powder. use a fresh
load for each day’s hunting.
Misfire:
A misfire is a failure of either the primer or the main charge to ignite. This could be
a very hazardous situation. extreme caution should be exercised when dealing with
a misfire. Rarely is a misfire the fault of the rifle. Generally, it can be attributed to a
problem with the propellant or primer. Should your gun fail to fire for any reason,
keep the muzzle pointed at your down-range target for at least one minute with the
action closed. By doing so, you make sure you are prepared for the chance of a
delayed ignition.
If the percussion cap/primer did not fire:
1. Check to make certain that a primer was installed and is still securely
positioned on nipple.
2. verify that the striker face is free of debris.
3. Try a new primer.
If the primer fires but the main charge does not:
1. Remove the primer while keeping the barrel pointed in a safe direction. using
a cleaning pick, verify that the hole in the breech plug is clear of
any obstruction.
2. Tap the butt pad of the rifle with your hand to direct the powder into the
ignition channel. If you are using pellets this process will not help.
3. verify that propellant was loaded under your projectile by running the ramrod
down the muzzle and observing the measure marks on your ramrod. use
extreme caution to always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
4. Check for any mechanical defects in the breech area. If your gun has
repeatedly failed to fire, you will need to unload the rifle. See Section xv.
At this point a beginning shooter should seek assistance from an experienced
shooter. never leave an unfired charge in the barrel.
5. After verifying the above directions re-prime the muzzleloader and fire.
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